January 28, 2024 - This wine is way way past its expiration date … but what an amazing experience. First the age-related aspects: not exactly oxidized, but definitely nutty. Fruit has faded.
Now the positives: still structured with lots of acidity and to keep everything stitched together. Honey, peach, pear notes, lemon curd. Perfectly balanced. Voluptuous mouth feel.
Now the odd: no chance I ever peg this as a Sauvignon Blanc if I did not know it coming in. This is an unusual wine, and the only one I can compare it to is Melka, from Napa, with similar structure and texture (but more of a tropical fruit array).
Overall - I would not seek this wine on the secondary market as my bottle was perfectly stored and still showed signs of senescence… but if I stumbled on one, I would snap it up. It’s unique, masterful, delicious, and a homage to a legend.
November 6, 2023 - Round with stone fruits on opening, lush with bright acids and tons of complexity. As it uncoiled over a few hours, some ammonia and grassy notes began to emerge and I liked it most on the PnP, but what a youthful and well aged wine. I dare say it presented younger than the 2009. Beautiful.
November 4, 2023 - Intense white floral notes along with an edgy herbal note. Palate was focused and narrow, and while a bit angular added mineral and chalky notes that persisted for many minutes in the finish. A while that doesn't beg for attention but once you seem to notice, it draws you in and won't let go. Emotional.
August 22, 2022 - (SYP) PNP.
A subtle nose of grass, tropical fruits, cream and earth. It is layered with mineral and umami flavours, and has a sharp line of acidity. There is high acidity and a touch of oxidation to the finish. Quite pretty but not my type of wine.
September 14, 2021 - Good, not great, with plenty of herbal funk, grapefruit pith, vegetal note, earthy minerals; med round, no real tertiaries...wait, this is a 2005! great for this age, kudos to Didier. This is really solid and a testament how good SB can age. Hedonists at Katana.
August 9, 2021 - Coming back to after two years. Color is medium gold. On the nose: butterscotch, marzipan and some funk. Very unusual nose. On the palate: Quince, pineapple, almonds, salinity. It’s very reductive and sherry like and while unusual , it’s quite good to me. Maybe this is where older Dagueneau wines go to. I have 4 more bottles of the vintage, so I am going to keep aging them and see what happens.
June 12, 2021 - NR
March 25, 2021 - very ripe on the palate, pretty soft, still got toasty notes on the nose but probably over the hill. Acidity was still here but not so much, with a slightly bitter finish. Later showed pear and acetone notes.
January 1, 2021 - pale lemon gold; grapefruit zest, hay bale, fennel seed, a tiny bit cat pissy that no one minded; supple palate weight; mature & intriguing, showing a softer delivery & lower tense acids. very good but might have preferred younger when there was greater fruit equilibrium.
NY Eve first course, so note from memory. mature for sure, but evocative & swell accompaniment to food.
nc flounder crudo in spicy buttermilk sauce, shaved fennel, meyer lemon-mirin vin
July 27, 2020 - Fully developed and drinking at its peak. Acidity slightly starting to fade and the tertiary aromas are dominant at this point. Clearly a good wine but not my style